Violence is one of the biggest factors that has promulgated today's culture in prison, and due to no solution being provided, violence has become a necessity in many inmates' minds. To survive, one must embrace the violence to ensure that one is not grossly affected by it. What goes up must come down.
To be, or not to be. Truly, this is the question in every inmate's mind as they walk into a prison riddled with the reputation of violence. To be, or not to be...a victim in the confines of this new world. They are left with defending themselves as the prison staff turns a blind eye to the Wild-Wild West conditions that plague our prisons today.
Staff and administrations that either out of not care (complicates their workday by having to do extra paperwork), or care about the wrong thing as they cover up such violence to escape liability and to keep their positions (if the truth were told, then their incompetence would demand their replacement).
The stories of violence are endless. The psychological effect that living under such uncivilized norms can be so damaging that quick movements bring subconscious reactions of defending oneself... or someone walking up behind you can have you subconsciously whipping around ready to strike.
We take a case that has an inmate killing his roommate, then wearing his ears around his neck. Where do we find such insane happenings? War zones use to be the only place we found these types of things. This is what is being built by our system and then released back out to us.
How does one not become a victim in a lawless world detached from any real accountability to protect those within it? How does one not become violent in a world that almost demands it? The Compound Interest Effect of violence begets violence. It breeds what it is made to breed, and if we as a civil society do not demand better from those in charge of a world that will one day re-enter our world, then who is to blame.
In today's prison system, there is a detachment in the mental health field as the code of the FDC has created a gang-like mentality within all staff. A code that says "We never stand alone" has translated into an "it's us against them" mentality.
The least culpable/mentally undeveloped offenders are the ones that will have to be condemned to prison for 40-60 years, sometimes 20 years more than the fully developed adult. The scientific study that was instrumental in abolishing the "mandatory" Life Without Parole sentences for juvenile offenders (under the age of 18 years old) is the same scientific study that determined the mind is not fully developed until sometimes the age of 25.
It is true, that in today's prisons, we find individuals who come from all walks of life. However, there is a large demographic of young men who have the bare minimum of education. This group of men is under 25 and makes up the growing present prison population.